Thunder Bay council approves budget with 1.58 per cent tax levy

Thunder Bay City Council tentatively approved its 2016 budget Thursday night with a tax levy of 1.58 per cent.

To get it down to that number, council postponed a $2million reconstruction of the High Street retaining wall until next year, in hopes of securing funding from the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund.

It also dipped into its rate stabilization fundto pay for new radio systems for policeandfire and rescue.

Council is set to ratify the budget on Monday.

Some councillors have proposed increasing the tax levy to two per cent or 2.5 per cent in order to fund more infrastructure projects.

They have asked city staff to prepare a list of possible investments.

"We have cut some infrastructure, and what I hear in the community is that people would be happy with two per cent or even twopointfive," Coun. Trevor Giertuga said.

Coun. Joe Virdiramoopened the meeting by placing a piggy bank next to his microphone to remind councillors "that people are having a hard time with tax increases and what not."

City clerk John Hannamasked Virdiramo to remove the pig, saying it was contrary to the spirit ofprocedural by-laws barring promotional devices.

"Some of us take that as a derogatory reference," Mayor Keith Hobbs added. "Please remove it."